I used lots of smoke before cutting. I took about a dozen or so stings to the hands but their venom wasn't very strong. The hive had good numbers, comb was like cutting through shoe leather. I like these bees a lot. It was slow going, a never give up attitude and a miracle I found the queen on this hive.

I did two like this last year and have a downed tree already set up for cutout at a beek meeting. After seeing yours, I am relieved I did it similarly. Is that the queen in a few of those pics? My screen is just a little fuzzy.I also want to ask. Thats obviously an older hive. Looks like they were going back and forth inside the log w/ main brood area switching ends over time. This appears to be normal in feral hives if they have enough room. If not I think they abscond periodically to get the hive cleaned out. Just an observation. My question, how much of the comb do you save? How much honey to you try to place in frames. I tend to get rid of evryhting thats not brood just to save time and effort. The hioney also collapses often making a huge mess. Lastly, I have problems getting the bees out. I wind up scooping bees ouit w. hands as they cling to sides of logthanx in advance

Logged

"The more complex the Mind, the Greater the need for the simplicity of Play".

.....The greatest changes occur in their country without their cooperation. They are not even aware of precisely what has taken place. They suspect it; they have heard of the event by chance. More than that, they are unconcerned with the fortunes of their village, the safety of their streets, the fate of their church and its vestry. They think that such things have nothing to do with them, that they belong to a powerful stranger called “the government.” They enjoy these goods as tenants, without a sense of ownership, and never give a thought to how they might be improved.....

"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

JP, and your saga begins!!! I know that there are going to be lots of cool stories comin' on from you. Wow, that was pretty high up to go in that tree, what a job eh? You be careful going up so high, I take my hat off to you for that, I have a terrible fear of heights and wonderful many times how people can go up to tall places, take care. Have that most wonderful and awesome day, Cindi

Logged

There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold. The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold. The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee. Robert Service

Wow, that was pretty high up to go in that tree, what a job eh? You be careful going up so high, I take my hat off to you for that, I have a terrible fear of heights and wonderful many times how people can go up to tall places, take care. Have that most wonderful and awesome day, Cindi

The attacking bees help you forget you're up high!

Logged

"The more complex the Mind, the Greater the need for the simplicity of Play".

Oh Seth, I don't believe that for a moment, smiling..... :roll: 8-) :) :) :). Have the best of a wonderful day, Cindi

Logged

There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold. The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold. The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee. Robert Service

Oh Seth, I don't believe that for a moment, smiling..... :roll: 8-) :) :) :). Have the best of a wonderful day, Cindi

Cindi, actually Seth has a very valid point even if he's being a little sheepish. If you're busy doing something up there you're not thinking of the height issue.

This past yr I got a call late one evening from a pastor that was starting a new church in an old bldg. It was one of those super busy type days where I was runnin' and gunnin' and I stopped by the church to assist with a bee hive approx 35' up.

Normally, I don't go that high up on a ladder but this day I was so busy and time was a real issue as it was an hour or so before nightfall.

The guy painting up there had already pulled a lot of the comb out but bees were everywhere and about 5' higher up than where they were working.

I told them I'd help right now if they could get me up there and they put two extension ladders together and off I went with bucket and tools in hand.

I pulled comb out and ushered what bees I could along w/ brood comb and queen and at one point I realized how high up I was on this dinky ladder and couldn't believe what I had done, that's when I got a little concerned but had to shake it off cause I had a job to do.

Iddee, that tree looks a lot like the one I was in yesterday and the bucket is identical, except it was connected to the boom from underneath. Dang thing did rock back and forth a little though, sort of gave me the willies.